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AirTalk election 2016: Analysis of candidate reaction to, rhetoric towards Orlando shooting

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Hillary Clinton Holds Town Hall In South Carolina Ahead Of Primary

Democratic presidential candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to guests gathered for a town hall meeting in Kingstree, South Carolina on February 25, 2016.; Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The presumptive presidential nominees has markedly different tones when addressing the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. While both tweeted their condolences...

Woke up to hear the devastating news from FL. As we wait for more information, my thoughts are with those affected by this horrific act. -H

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 12, 2016

Horrific incident in FL. Praying for all the victims & their families. When will this stop? When will we get tough, smart & vigilant?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016

...Donald Trump riled up a lot of folks online when he tweeted this:

Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016

This week on AirTalk's political roundtable, we'll analyze the candidates' reactions to the mass shooting in Orlando and talk about how their reactions will affect the campaigns going forward.

Guests:

Renee Van Vechten, associate professor of government and political science at University of Redlands

Bill Whalen, research fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University


Oregon judge’s ruling quietly raises new questions in gender identity debate

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In what appears to be a first-of-its-kind ruling, an Oregon judge has sided with a petitioner who wanted to be able to choose neither gender as a sex and be ‘non-binary.’ ; Credit: tengrrl via Flickr

In what appears to be a first-of-its-kind ruling, an Oregon judge has sided with a petitioner who wanted to be able to choose neither gender as a sex and be ‘non-binary.’

It didn’t get much attention when it came down, but the judge’s decision could have an impact on the national conversation on civil rights and gender identity.

Ex-Army sergeant Jamie Shupe, who was born with male anatomy and underwent hormone treatments to transition to a woman, says it turned out that neither gender really fit. Jamie, who uses the pronouns ‘they’ and ‘their’ says they wanted to challenge that. She went to court with two notes from doctors both attesting that Jamie was neither male nor female.

Legal experts have said that as far as they know, this is the first ruling of its kind and could potentially have a bigger ripple effect on the larger debate about gender identity.

What do you think of ‘non-binary’ as a way of defining one’s gender (or lack thereof)? What are the legal implications of a decision like this? How will this affect the larger national conversation on gender identity and civil rights?

Guests:

Hayley Gorenberg, deputy legal director at Lambda Legal

Matthew McReynolds, senior staff attorney at Pacific Justice Institute in Sacramento, which works to defend religious liberties and parental rights

How ISIS uses lone wolf attackers like Omar Mateen to further its cause

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At Least 20 Dead In Mass Shooting At Orlando Gay Nightclub

FBI agents seen outside of Pulse nightclub after a fatal shooting and hostage situation on June 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. ; Credit: Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

Pulse club gunman Omar Mateen had pledged allegiance to ISIS in a 911 call during his deadly rampage, and investigators are looking into possible connections between the 29-year-old and the terrorist group.

But whether such ties existed might be beside the point. In the last couple years, ISIS has been calling for supporters and sympathizers to launch attacks in the name of the group, as part of its larger propaganda strategy. The case was similar with the couple in San Bernardino, who declared their loyalty to ISIS on Facebook before killing 14 people at the Inland Regional Center.

What ISIS gets are foot soldiers in other parts of the world to carry out their hate-filled mission. But what does someone like Omar Mateen get from aligning himself with ISIS?

Guests:

Charlie Winter, Senior Research Associate at Georgia State University’s Transcultural Conflict and Violence Initiative. He studies the Islamic State’s outreach strategy, and specializes in the analysis of Arabic-language documents circulated online by jihadists.

Clint Van Zandt, Founder and President of Van Zandt Associates Inc. He is a former FBI profiler and had worked at the renowned Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia

California lawmaker explains her efforts to legally change definition of rape after Stanford

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A booking photo provided by the Santa Clara County sheriff shows Brock Allen Turner, whose sentence of six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman has caused outrage.; Credit: AP

In response to the Stanford University case that has drawn national attention, three California lawmakers are pushing for an expanded definition of rape under state law. California law now describes rape as "an act of sexual intercourse."

Under this definition, ex-Stanford swimmer Brock Turner was instead convicted of sexual assault. Many states have adopted the more inclusive FBI definition, which labels rape as penetration with any body part or object.

Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia of Bell Gardens calls this gap a "loophole" in the criminal code. She introduced legislation Monday to change the definition.

Guest: 

Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, California Democratic Assemblymember for District 58, including Artesia, Bell Gardens, Norwalk and Montebello; She’s introduced AB701, which seeks to broaden the definition of rape

William Weinberg, criminal defense lawyer based in Irvine, California

Author Mary Roach on the science behind risks on the battlefield

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“Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War” by Mary Roach (W. W. Norton & Company, 2016)

; Credit: W.W. Norton and Company, 2016

IEDs, mechanical failure, ambushes: These are all things that members of the armed forces have to worry about on the battlefield.

There are also other dangers, like panic, heat, hearing loss — and even less obvious hazards, like zippers, and shrimp.

One science writer has taken it upon herself to run the gamut of risks that soldiers face, both big and small, and how these challenges are overcome through science. “Grunt” is the latest from Mary Roach. She’ll join host Larry Mantle to talk about what she’s learned.  

Vroman’s is hosting an event with Mary Roach at All Saints Church in Pasadena on Friday, June 17. For more information, click here.

Guest:

Mary Roach, author of the new book, “Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2016)

 

President Obama goes after Trump over response to Orlando shootings

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US President Barack Obama (L) speaks on the Orlando shooting at the Treasury Department while Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford (R) look on, on June 14, 2016.; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

President Obama didn't need his anger translator "Luther" this morning.

The comedic character played by Keegan-Michael Key will have to wait for another day. Just over an hour ago, President Obama passionately responded to Donald Trump's criticism that the President is half-hearted in fighting terrorism.

After laying out military gains against ISIS, the President defended his refusal to use the term "radical Islam." He said it gives Islamic terrorists the us versus them narrative they want. He also said Trump's proposed Muslim immigration ban isn't the America we want. Obama never used Trump's name, but he left no doubt who he was criticizing.

Though there's always strategy in politics, it also seemed the President was genuinely offended by Trump's questioning of Obama's resolve to fight terrorism.

Guests:

Eli Stokols, national political reporter for POLITICO

William Wan, national reporter for the Washington Post who’s in Orlando on top of the story since Sunday

Analyzing planned NATO battalion deployments to Poland, Baltic states

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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg gives a joint press before a Nato Defense Council meeting at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels on June 14, 2016.
; Credit: JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images

At a high-level NATO meeting in Brussels today, alliance defense ministers and military planners are working to deploy four battalions to Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland to boost their defenses against Russia.

Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), told a news conference those Baltic states and Poland feel most threatened by Russia, ever since Russian aggression against Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

U.S. NATO Ambassador Douglas Lute said numerous details, including the exact number of troops involved as well as the national composition of the battalions and who will be in command, remained to be decided and will be announced at the July NATO summit in Warsaw. "By Warsaw, three weeks from now, we'll have answers to who's contributing where," Lute told a news conference in Brussels.

With some 800-1,000 troops in each unit, NATO officials estimate some 4,000 troops will be deployed in total.

Meanwhile in Russia today, President Vladimir Putin has ordered snap drills to check the Russian military's readiness to quickly mobilize its forces. Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the maneuvers that began Tuesday will last for a week.

The maneuvers are the latest in a steady series of drills intended to strengthen the military's readiness amid tensions with the West over Ukraine.

Finally, a story developing today from the Democratic National Committee is word that Russian government hackers infiltrated DNC files including opposition research on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. What would Russian officials do with the information gathered?    

With files from the Associated Press.

​Guests:

Gregory Feifer, Author of “Russians and The Great Gamble,” former NPR Moscow correspondent

Derek Chollet, Senior Advisor at The German Marshall Fund of the United States (a nonpartisan think tank in D.C. focused on transatlantic cooperation); from 2012-2015, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs; Author "The Long Game: How Obama Defied Washington and Redefined America’s Role in the World (PublicAffairs, June 2016)

Nina Tumarkin, Professor of History and Director of Russian Area Studies, Wellesley College; author of “The Living and the Dead: The Rise and Fall of the Cult of World War II in Russia”

LAPD Chief Beck on Orlando attack: 'We make available high capacity weapons designed to kill and then we wonder why they do'

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NYPD Police Chief Bratton Briefs The Media With London And Los Angeles Counterpart

Charles Beck, Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department speaks at a media briefing on November 6, 2014 in New York City. ; Credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

In the aftermath of the UCLA shooting lockdown, the Orlando massacre, and a possible threat to West Hollywood's Gay Pride Parade, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck joined AirTalk to talk about the ongoing debates around security, public safety and gun control.

"The continuing theme," the chief said, "is that we continue to [make available] high capacity weapons that fire rapidly and easily and are designed to kill people — solely to kill people — and then we wonder why they do."

Chief Beck pointed at several areas where Second Amendment supporters and gun control advocates could probably find common ground. 

"Everybody agrees that we need to keep guns out of the hands of those that shouldn’t have them. So we need to start with that," Beck said. "And then we gotta go backwards and say, ‘What are the steps we can take to make that happen?’"

Highlights

On the law enforcement response to the Orlando shooting

Beck: [Orlando law enforcement officers] were faced with a horrific, no-win situation. By the time they were able to deploy inside, many people had already been killed, and then they had to mitigate the further carnage. So, at this point, I don’t have any criticism, but my sympathy is certainly with them. They were put in a difficult place. They performed courageously.

The continuing theme is that we continue to [make available] high capacity weapons that fire rapidly and easily and are designed to kill people — solely to kill people — and then we wonder why they do."

On whether a ban on larger capacity magazines or semi-automatic rifles would make a difference


Beck: Well, maybe not right away because there are so many in circulation already but maybe our children's children would see a difference. I think we have to take some affirmative steps as a society to make things better. You know, we are the only fully developed, first-world country that sees this level of carnage. 

On finding common ground on the gun debate

Beck: I think we can certainly agree that folks on a terrorism watch list and people who are subject to an ongoing investigation because of terrorist activities should be denied access to firearms. I think even the most staunch gun supporters would agree to at least part of that.

So I think we could start there and I know that discussion is ongoing. I think that background checks and waiting periods are something we could get to in a reasonable way if we structure it correctly. There’s no reason why people should have immediate access to guns.

In Florida, private person’s transfer requires no background and no documentation, at least that’s my understanding. So I think we can get some common ground on that.

Everybody agrees that we need to keep guns out of the hands of those that shouldn’t have them. So we need to start with that. And then we gotta go backwards and say, ‘What are the steps we can take to make that happen?’

On the LAPD's new iWatch app for reporting suspicious activity 

Beck: It’s an application for your mobile device, you can go to lapdonline.org or your app store and it’ll give you a tutorial on what to look for. And then it’ll give you an application on which to report things. And then we will screen what we get and decide what’s actionable and what’s not. This is a great way for the public to be involved in their own safety.

One of the tragedies with every single one of these incidents, Orlando included, is that there are gonna be a number of people that say, ‘You know, I saw things and I should have said something.’

Don’t be that person. Say something. We’ll vet it. . . . We understand the limits of what we can do and what we should do, but we can’t act on information we don’t have.

Please note: This article has been updated and edited for clarity.

Guest:

Charlie Beck, Chief, Los Angeles Police Department; he tweets from @LAPDChiefBeck


The joys of reading children’s books…as an adult

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Jennifer Reckner (L), and Jessica Beegle

Jennifer Reckner (L), and Jessica Beegle (R), from Manassas, Virgina, read the final book in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."; Credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Have you revisited a book you loved as a child?

Did the stories  hold new meaning once you were grown?  Once upon a time, it was somewhat embarrassing for an adult to be caught reading a book written for kids. But that time is long gone. The popularity of the Harry Potter series, the Hunger Games, and titles like the Faults in Our Stars have shown that books meant for kids and teenagers are also successful in attracting grown-ups for a second read.

In fact, a 2012 study found that 55 percent of readers of the young adult (YA) genre are actually adults. 

What are your favorite children's books? Which books do you enjoy reading or re-reading as an adult, or to your children? Call 866-893-5722 and let us know.

Guest:

Phillip Nel, a professor of English and a director of the graduate program in children’s literature at Kansas State University

Could a Trump presidency mean restricted White House media access?

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White House Press Secretary speaks on June 12, 2015 in the Brady Breifing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. ; Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Earlier this week, Donald Trump announced via Facebook message that he was revoking the press credentials of the Washington Post to cover his campaign events.

He stated that the news organization has been inaccurately representing his campaign and that the company lacked “journalistic integrity.”  Trump has also barred reporters from The National Review, BuzzFeed, Politico and a few other outlets from attending his events.

If the presumptive GOP nominee were to become the president, would he be able to withdraw White House press credentials from reporters and news organizations based on their content? Is there a precedent of presidents denying media access? And what is the Obama administration’s record on freedom of information?

Guests:

Erik Wemple, Media Critic, The Washington Post

Gregg Leslie, Legal Defense Director for The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press based in Washington DC

Legal, energy experts debate Governor Brown’s proposal to expand state electric grid

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Giant wind turbines are powered by strong winds in front of solar panels on March 27, 2013 in Palm Springs, California. ; Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Governor Jerry Brown is dusting off a nearly 20 year old proposal that would expand the California electricity grid and link it with grids in other states like Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.

The plan is raising questions in the energy and renewables sector about how much the expansion would actually contribute to clean energy and what the state’s continuing role would be in controlling the electricity grid.

Another part of the plan would combine the California Independent System Operator (CalISO), which oversees the state’s long-distance transmission of electricity, with Oregon-based electricity producer PacifiCorp.

Legislators and environmentalists are concerned that the partnership would make it hard to meet the state mandate that 50 percent of electricity Californians get comes from clean sources like wind or solar, because PacifiCorp has a lot of coal-fired power plants. They’re also concerned that combining PacifiCorp, an investor-owned company, with CalISO, for which the Governor appoints the board and the Senate approves it, would dilute the state’s control over how energy is distributed.

Guests:

Carl Zichella, director of Western Transmission for the Natural Resources Defense Council

Michael Aguirre, partner at the San Diego-based law firm Aguirre & Severson, LLP

 

Can Trump persuade donors to fund his campaign?

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Pins supporting Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump are seen for sale at a campaign rally on June 1, 2016 in Sacramento, California. ; Credit: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

With primary elections out of the way and the GOP convention fast approaching, some are beginning to wonder if Donald Trump has enough time to garner enough financial support from Republican donors.

Instead of scheduling fundraisers, GOP critics say Trump is wasting time picking fights and settling scores. The Associated Press reported that Trump invested $43 million through the end of this past April, touting his independence from donors and lobbyists as a crucial difference between himself and the other candidates.

Trump’s independence is a major reason his supporters chose him over the other candidates, but he likely won’t be claiming independence for long. Campaigning is an expensive, and Trump will be needing wealthy donors soon enough. Is it too late to raise enough money to successfully compete in the campaign?

Guests:

Julie Bykowicz, politics reporter based in Washington D.C., Associated Press; she covers money on the campaign trail. Julie tweets from @bykowicz

Alfred Balitzer, a professor emeritus of American government, Claremont McKenna College; he was also the senior consultant to former President Ronald Reagan’s reelection campaign in 1984

Why no one downloads apps anymore

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Google Maps Returns To Apple's iPhone

An icon for the Google Maps app is seen on an Apple iPhone 4S on December 13, 2012 in Fairfax, California.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Zero.

That’s the number of apps the average smartphone user in the U.S. downloads per month. It’s a sign that the app boom, which started in 2008 when Apple introduced its App Store, has come to a screeching halt. 

Eight years after the App Store launched, data show that users know what apps they like and aren’t generally looking to download new ones. The exceptions are Uber and Snapchat, which saw increases in global app downloads between May 2015 and 2016.

For app developers, this isn’t news. Smaller, independent app developers have long struggled to get noticed over major developers with more funding and resources. But now, even larger developers are seeing significant year-over-year decreases in monthly downloads.

If you’re a smartphone user, how often do you download a new app? What was the last app you downloaded, and why? Have you more or less figured out what apps you like and don’t feel the need to look for new ones? Is there anything developers can do to break out of the slump?

Guest:

Ed Lee, managing editor at Recode; he tweets @edmundlee

What this year’s El Nino means for fire season

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This photo provided by Los Padres Forest Aviation and KEYT-TV shows a wildfire burning in Los Padres National Forest, north of Santa Barbara, on Wednesday, June 15, 2016, in Goleta, Calif. ; Credit: Mark Nunez/Los Padres Forest Aviation/KEYT-TV via AP

More  more than 1200 acres are ablaze and there’s still zero percent containment in the Sherpa Fire that broke out yesterday afternoon in Refugio Canyon area of Los Padres National Forest.

Since then, strong winds increased its size and scope. A 15-mile stretch of the 101 have been temporarily closing. Campgrounds have also been evacuated. We get the latest from the Forest Service and also check in with Cal Fire about what impacts, if any, this year’s weak El Nino may have had on California’s fire season.

Click here for KPCC's Fire Tracker tool.

Guests:

Manuel Madrigal, Public information officer, The Forest Service

Mike Mohler, Battalion Chief with Cal Fire

How gun-violence tragedies shape political will and public opinion

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Proponents Of Increased Gun Control Laws Demonstrate In Washington

Anti-gun violence demonstrators, including Rachel Ahrens (L), 13, Abby Ahrens, 8, and their mother Betty Ahrens hold signs condemning the National Rifle Association in Washington, DC.; Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Democrats have revived the gun debate after 49 people were killed at a nightclub in Orlando, the worst such incident in modern U.S. history.

Their renewed efforts began in earnest Wednesday, as Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) stood on the Senate floor for close to 15 hours to force a vote on two proposed gun control measures.

AirTalk debated one of those proposals – to ban those on the federal “no-fly list” from purchasing guns. We also looked at how the Orlando tragedy has shaped political will and public opinion on the debate, as well as at the slew of gun control bills moving forward in California.

Interview highlights

Topic: People who are on the no-fly list would be prohibited from purchasing guns

Adam Winkler (Pro “no buy” list), Josh Blackman (Con “no buy” list). 

You admit there is a constitutional issue here, that the Second Amendment gives that individual right. How would you work around that for a no-buy list which isn’t adjudicated, which is just a unilateral federal government action? 

Winkler: This is an important point to make at the start, which is you do have a constitutional right to have a firearm, and if anyone is going to be denied their constitutional rights, it’s absolutely essential that we satisfy the demands of due process of law. We can have a 'no buy' list that keeps suspected terrorists from having guns if we respect a few fundamental principles of due process of law.

One: The executive can’t put someone on the list unless they have evidence that the person is a suspected terrorist, not just mere conjecture. Two: You must have review by an independent court that reviews the executive’s action and say, like a criminal wiretap, approves the interference with someone’s individual rights on the basis of evidence that’s presented. And then finally, some measure of review for the individual, where they can challenge that determination in some open court proceeding. I think we can have a proposal that meets all of those demands.

How would the person affected know before they’re turned down at a gun store? Would they be alerted? 

Winkler: It makes no sense to alert people in advance that they’re on a terrorist watch list. That just highlights that the government might be following them. What you need to have is, no one would know they’re on the list until they’re actually denied their right — when they go out and actually try to purchase a firearm, there would be some kind of delay or hold on that firearm and that would most likely trigger some kind of process, whereby the government would have to prove that this particular individual, on the basis of evidence, there was reasonable suspicion that this person was engaged in or was likely to engage in terrorism.

What would be a comparable example of someone having a constitutional right taken away from them? 

Winkler: This happens thousands of times every year in America. Every time there is a criminal wiretap, something like this happens. ... Unlike a criminal wiretap, you would have the ability to challenge your inclusion on that list and the burden on your right, right away, almost immediately. But, you may never even know that your phone was wiretapped if they choose never to bring a prosecution against you.

We should treat guns and the Second Amendment like a normal constitutional right. That means, generally, that when the government has compelling reasons and chooses an approach that is based on individualized suspicion, then that is sufficient to overcome the claims of the rights holder.

Blackman: The framers of the Fourth Amendment created a very specific circumstance where you could use probable cause to conduct a search for a specific person in a specific place. The Constitution specifically countenances searches based on probable cause. There’s no reason to import that standard to other constitutional rights that don’t have such a standard.

Usually, when you want to infringe on a constitutional right, you have to pass a very high threshold — much higher than probable cause. There is no example of the First Amendment being violated and having someone have a hearing afterward. No such hearing exists. That’s called a prior restraint of speech, and the Second Amendment should be treated no differently.

The problem here isn’t so much that people have the chance to review it — they only have a chance to review a summary of the evidence, not the actual evidence, unless everything is ultimately revealed. When the ACLU and the NRA agree, I think it’s a pretty good sign that this proposal is very problematic.

Well, the ACLU has been unhappy with the No Fly List from the beginning, because of the inability of people to know in advance they're on it and to be able to effectively challenge it, but it’s not transparent as you suggest. 

Blackman: No, in fact, in December the ACLU came out against this very same proposal. They said there’s no way of challenging this meaningfully. The only evidence you’re given is a summary, not the actual evidence, and people’s constitutional rights are held in limbo for years. This is not something we should be pursuing.

Do you have any other alternative in any way curtailing that person’s ability to buy guns? 

Blackman: So the answer here is the Constitution. ... Due process of law is a bedrock of our constitutional rights — this goes back to the Magna Carta 800 years ago. In many respects, police can’t charge someone without sufficient evidence, and if they can’t charge them they need to build a better case and charge them in open court.

We have a criminal justice system, we have ways of having classified proceedings in federal courts without having these secret chamber proceedings, and that’s the constitutional right the government must pursue. They must protect both our security and our liberty.

Hillary Clinton said this a couple of days ago: "If someone is too dangerous to fly, they’re certainly too dangerous to buy a gun." So how do you respond to the logical construct that she gave there that leaves many people nodding their heads yes? 

Blackman: The key word is "suspected" terrorists. They’re suspected. There’s not enough evidence. There are thousands and thousands of innocent Muslim men who have been put on this list over the years who have done absolutely nothing wrong, who are perfectly safe to fly. ...

Do you really want President Donald Trump to have the power to make secret lists to deprive them of their civil rights? Muslim men who go to a mosque are suddenly suspected terrorists, who can’t get on planes and can’t buy guns and can’t do a host of other aspects of civic society. A good reality check for your listeners over the next few months is to ask themselves, "What if Donald Trump executes the same power as President Obama?"

Winkler: When you put Donald Trump up there as the potential president, that’s enough to scare any of us from expanding any kind of government power, so I’ll give him that. But the whole beauty of the due process system is that it’s not just Donald Trump making that determination, and so what we’re hearing from the other side is so much hyperbole. This is not just the executive acting alone.

Guests

Alan I. Abramowitz, Professor of Political Science at Emory University in Atlanta; he specializes in polarization in politics and the public

Adam Winkler, a professor at the U.C.L.A. School of Law and the author of “Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America.” (W. W. Norton & Company, 2013). His op-ed titled, “Time for a ‘No Buy’ List on Guns,” was published in the New York Times earlier this week

Josh Blackman, an associate professor of Law at the South Texas College of Law who specializes in constitutional law. He is the author of “Unprecedented: The Constitutional Challenge to Obamacare” (Public Affairs, 2013). His rebuttal to Winkler's piece is published toay in the National Review

Ben Bradford, state government reporter for Capital Public Radio; he tweets @JBenBradford


First-of-its-kind NY bill to give incentives for diverse hiring in TV productions

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(L-R) Actors Constance Wu, Randall Park, Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen speak onstage during the 'Fresh Off the Boat' panel at the 2015 Winter Television Critics Association press tour.; Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

A legislative proposal in New York that would give financial incentives to TV productions that hire women and people of color who reside in the state as writers and directors.

The bill would set aside $5 million in the $420 million that New York provides in tax credits to attract TV and film productions to the state.

The bill was first introduced in 2013. The bill has already passed Assembly, and the New York Senate is voting on it today. If signed into law, it would be the first film state tax credit with a diversity carve-out.  

Guests:

Gillian Thomas, senior staff attorney with ACLU Women’s rights project, which supports the New York bill. She is also the author of the new book, “Because of Sex” (St. Martin’s Press, 2016)

Kevin Klowden, executive director of the Milken Institute’s California Center and  managing economist at the Institute. One of his foci is film and television tax incentives.

Darnell M. Hunt,  director of the UCLA Bunche Center for African American Studies, which puts out the annual “Hollywood Diversity Report," and chair of the Sociology Department at UCLA

Lawmakers pull the plug on California's push for electric vehicles

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An attendee walks past the hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai, at Drive The Dream 2015, an event aimed at accelerating the continued adoption of plug-in electric vehicles in California.; Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

Nationwide, the purchase of electric vehicles has been very slow. With cheaper gas prices, it's clear that most drivers are not inclined to prioritize their environmental footprint when purchasing a car.

The one place that is slightly above the curve is California. Governor Jerry Brown has repeatedly stated his goal is to get more electric vehicles on the road and he was willing to incentivize potential drivers by subsidizing the purchase of them.

But now, California lawmakers have pulled to plug on the cash. This seems to contradict the state's goals for a greener driving experience, so why make the cuts? And what effect could this have on trying to spur an already slow electric vehicle purchasing cycle?

Guest:

Jessica Caldwell: Senior Analyst and Director of Pricing and Industry Analysis for Edmunds, a site that covers car buying and culture

Christopher Megerian, Political reporter for the Los Angeles Times, covering Gov. Jerry Brown, the state budget and climate change policies.

Defying White House, US diplomats call for intervention in Syria

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Fighters from Syria's Manbij military council are seen on June 15, 2016 in a building on the outskirts of the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which is held by jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) group, during an operation to try to retake the town.
; Credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images

(AP) Dozens of State Department employees have endorsed an internal document that advocates U.S. military action to pressure Syria's government into accepting a cease-fire and engaging in peace talks, officials said Thursday. The position is at odds with U.S. policy.

The "dissent channel cable" was signed by about 50 mostly mid-level department officials who deal with U.S. policy in Syria, according to officials who have seen the document. It expresses clear frustration with America's inability to halt a civil war that has killed perhaps a half-million people and contributed to a worldwide refugee crisis, and goes to the heart of President Barack Obama's reluctance to enter the fray.

While Washington has provided military assistance to some anti-Assad rebels, it has favored diplomacy over armed intervention as a means of ushering Syria's leader out of power. A series of partial cease-fires in recent months have only made the war slightly less deadly, and offered little hope of a peace settlement.

Guests:

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, senior fellow for women and foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations

Steven Simon, visiting fellow at the Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth College; he is also a former senior director for Middle Eastern and North African affairs on the White House’s National Security Council (2011-2012)

In election year, executive director of National Institute for Civil Discourse calls for change

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Republican Presidential Candidates Debate In Houston, Texas

Donald Trump (L) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) talk over each other in the Republican presidential debate at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston on February 25, 2016.; Credit: Pool/Getty Images

The National Institute for Civil Discourse has a strategy to improve the current state of public discourse in the 2016 presidential election: the “Revive Civility, Our Democracy Depends on It” campaign.

With so many Americans unhappy with the verbal ad hominem attacks, Carolyn Lukensmeyer, executive director of NICD, wants the public to know they can make a difference.

“I write blogs and got hundreds of responses from people who said they were disgusted, embarrassed and ashamed, but did not feel there was anything they could do to make a difference,” Lukensmeyer said.

She mentioned past GOP debates specifically, but the campaign is a nonpartisan effort aimed at reducing the current incivility and inappropriate speech and behavior.

But is change necessary? How does this election compare to others in terms of inappropriate behavior? Guest Host Patt Morrison speaks with political science professor, Brian Arbour, to put this election in historical context and to discuss its normality.

Guests:

Carolyn Lukensmeyer, Ph.D, Executive Director, National Institute for Civil Discourse

Brian Arbour, Associate professor of political science, City University of New York and author of, “Candidate-Centered Campaigns: Political Messages, Winning Personalities, and Personal Appeals” (Palgrave Macmillan; 2014 )

NBA referees union calls for less transparency of two-minute reports

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2015 NBA Finals - Game Five

LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes up against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half during Game Five of the 2015 NBA Finals on June 14, 2015 in Oakland, California.; Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors in a nail-biter of a game 7 last night, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to become the new NBA finals champion.

The Warriors, defending champion coming in the finals, will likely get flak for what they did or didn’t do on the court last night. But it’s probably nothing compared to the grief the referees get from players and fans.

Recently, the National Basketball Referees Association, the union for NBA refs, has called for the league to stop publishing something called the “Last Two-Minute Reports,” which detail all the mistakes, as well as correct calls, referees make when a game is within 5 points in the final two minutes of play.

The reports are a way for the league to be more transparent, but refs union says they only succeed in making people angry at their members.

Guests:

A Martinez, host of KPCC’s Take Two, and host of Lakers Countdown on ESPNLA 710; he tweets from @amartinezla

Kelly Dwyer, an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports, who has been following the story; he tweets from @KDonhoops​

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